Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1887-04-09

| boat, containing two figures clad in white
| comes down the river each night; that Just
at twelve it strikes the shore even with this
| house; the two ghostly boatmen-one is o
female-9lide into this room, and nothing
more is seen Of them until the next night,
when they again come down the river. The
Indians believe this, for not the boldesi
main here over night, although he would
scorn to avoid real danger presented in any
| other FORM"
Dan was sleeping soundly in his blanket
| over in one corner of the apartment, but
can not say how long l lay gazing at the
stars through the apertures in the roof, and
thinking. ! was sure that Dan had not told
me all that he knew about the tragedy. In
/ fact, was beginning to regard my friend
i'll new light. His piercing steel blue eyes
at times almost terrified me, for as yet ]
! knew not their wonderful secret. After
| long while, turning so that l could look
| through the open doorway and out upon
the moonlit river, l saw boat coming
| down the stream, directly toward the land
| ing where our canoe lay. In this boat
were two persons clothed in flowing white
| drapery. They sat erect, but made no ef-
fort to control their craft. gaZed intent
| ly; it had no oars; that boat was steered
and rowed by no mortal hand. l looked at
| my watch. 1t lacked but moment of II
| o'clock. Pacific standard time. The phan-
| tom boat touched the shore a short dis
lance from me; its occupants stepped
| lightly upon the ground and, with a noise
! less, gliding motion, approached within a
few feet of me and stopped. l lay utterly
| spell-bound. | could not articulate syl-
liable. The ghostly old lady was the first
to break the silence, saying in o kind,
motherly voice:
Are you not frightened, young man, to
meet us here at this lonely hour?"
My fears vanished beneath the light of
her affectionate old eyes, and assured her
l had never been SO badly scared in all my
life since the day Diego Dan exterminated
my friend, the editor, on which occasion l
had let fall form comprising one page of
the paper, making bushel of pi.
Your fears are groundless," she replied,
with ghostly, puzzled look on her kindly,
wrinkled face. "Of all the world We can
visit this spot alone. We are glad to meet
you. Are you u good MANI"
My fears We're all gone now. / told them
the story of my past life, with my hopes
as to my goodness. then asked her if the
murder spoken of by Dan had been COM
mitted by Indians.
We were cruelty murdered in the dark
ness of the midnight" the ghost replied
with shudder. There were Indians
who sought revenge on my husband, and
bad white men who only wanted our mon
ey." Diego Dan moved restlessly here but
the pale, whte-robed spirit continued;
Our little Dolores was carried away by the
savages. 1t is of her l would speak. We
want her. She is yet with the Indians,
and unframed; but it will not long be SO.
,Iser 80. hoo n~Vr fr,
this she will be made the unwilling wife of
Young chief You will meet her before
that time. Rescue her and carry her away
to your own people. BE brave. You will
face great danger successfully. Should
Dolores not be spared to you she will come
to US. We want her"
81 will! will Your Dolores shall be
free and become my Dolores, or | will sac
riice my life for her dear sake, vowed.
Look out, young man, or you will kick
over the coffee-p pot" cried Dan with a
laugh that banished the ghosts and opened
my eyes to the dazzling sunlight.
We ate breakfast ana resumed the vcy-
age.
TO night" said Dan, I'VE could reach
our destination, but we will stop over with
a very particular old friend of mine and 20
on tomorrow.
hDOttt tllItc v ClOCh III tuc ulttIuuOu WE
reached the camp of Dams great friend.
TIE Coyote" was known throughout all
the West as the deadly hater of all pale
faces. No white man, it was said, had ev-
er looked upon his face and lived. Yet
Diego Dap was met at the waters edge by
the great Coyote in person and warmly well
coined to his tent. AS Dams friend l was
also kindly received.
Diego and the Apache chieftain were
soon smoking and conversing earnestly in
the language of the chief. of which | could
not understand word. From their gest-
ures, however, / shrewdly guessed they
were deciding the fate of an important cap
tive held by the Coyote.
That night Dan and l slept on pile of
buffalo robes in the chiefs tent | arose
early the next morning and started for a
walk along the river. l had not gone far
when, in endeavoring to pass between one
of the tents and the river bank, the space
being very narrow, l stumbled and fell
hcadlOng against the tent, crushing in the
side and falling across some one who was
lying down. Forgetting that my words
would not be understood, l hastily begged
pardon.
Hush don't speak, was the unexpected
reply, as a female arose, and by the faint
light l saw the most beautiful picture my
eyes had ever rested upon. She asked me
how came there.
II q hurried whisper | told her all, and
begged her to fly at once with us.
II can not now" she sensibly replied.
you and my fathers old friend, Diego
Dan, can go on up the river to- day and re-
turn for me tonight. | will be on the
sand bar which runs out into the river at
midnight. Go, now; you will be seen
here"
/ continued my walk, thinking of my
dream at the haunted house. The beautiful
white girl had Just found was Dolores
CHAPTER IL
said nothing to Dan about my morn
ing's adventure until We had rowed several
miles up the river from the Coyotes camp;
then told him.
He listened with L pleased expression
upon his handsome bronzed face, but the
cold steel blue tint of lis eyes was un-
changed. Even III my excited state of
mind | could perceive that Diego Dan
seemed rather surprised AZ my discovery of
tie fact OF Dolores presence in the Coy
ote S camp aud not ut the fact itself. My
confidence in Dan was waning, but | was
very glad Wien ne said:
If am viii YOU. We must secure that
ginl if We do lose our hunt by it..
We ran our boat mp n narrow little
stream tibet o,lpti"d It's waters into the
river. ard lay down to wait for night. 1t
seemed al age &c me. but ut last the sun
sank beneath western mountains, and the
shadows of the SieIras enshrouded us. the
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